What will happen when a major earthquake strikes the Tokyo area and transportation systems are paralyzed? Just for argument’s sake, if 100 people try to walk from their offices in Shinjuku to their homes in Yokohama in such a situation, how many of them will be able to reach home? None, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government...
...If stranded people can confirm that their families are safe and find a place to stay, they can become a useful part of the relief workforce, Nakabayashi says...
...“We should turn people who don't need to hurry home into volunteers. Single people should join in the relief work rather than walking home,” he says. “Stranded people should be engaged in relief activities--helping injured people, for example--as much as they help each other to go home. The idea is to turn stranded people into helping hands.” If you're likely to be stranded, keep his words in your mind. If you hurry to go home, you may encounter danger. You may prefer instead to consider participating in relief work. That's the idea behind the proverb: More haste, less speed.
Another sobering but interesting article about The Big One. I've often wondered about this specific problem, and am really thankful that most of my work is not far from my home. When I do go further afield - even just to Shibuya, I always take my city atlas with me just to deal with this specific situation should it arise. Hadn't really thought about it before, but I do like the idea of encouraging people not to rush straight home but instead to stay and help wherever they find themselves at the time.
The Big One. Never far from anyones thoughts. Every time I hang out in an old building, or a basement level, or take the subway, or find myself in a crush of people somewhere, I think “not now, please, not now”.
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this article was also in the daily yomiuri the other sunday.
it was kind of weird timing, because we've been talking about the same thing in the office for few months now(then again, who isn't talking about 'the big one' in tokyo)
anyway, us little semi-adventurous desk slaves decided that it would be a good idea to try walking home. and seeing as we all live int he vicinity of the tokyu toyoko line, then we could give it try after work one day.
so, one evening in april, lara, michael & me (and a few cans of beer) launched ourselves along the tokyu line.
and you know what? it was really interesting.
saw places we never knew were there.
weird little buildings, strange twisty streets & lots & lots of concrete.
we left shibuya about 5.30 and walking slowly & with a few toilet stops along the way (whoever said walking and beer are a good combo should be shot...oh, that was me..)
anyway, by about 7pm we had got to toritsudaigaku.
we are planning to do part 2, starting at toritsu daigaku and seeing how far we actually get.
haven't set a date yet - maybe wait till tsuyu's done. not much fun walking in the rain.
and even if it does happen that the actual reality of walking home after the big one is an impossibility, i'll have learnt that the toyoko line is an interesting area.
Interesting. Ive always wondered about the possibility of getting home after the Big One. I think there would be so many situations crying out for help along the way that going home would take a long time.
I heard there have been a reasonable number of medium ones lately, maybe this is why the Big One is on everyone's mind...
Yeah, funnily enough I woke up to quite a jolt yesterday morning, after writing that post the night before.
I wonder how long it'd take to walk to Kichijoji from Shibuya? It'd have to be at least 3 hours on a good day. Maybe I should do the same trial walk thing as you MissSin....
On June 21, 2006 9:48 AM,
Sarah said:
For me, it's sitting in the tiny sauna at the local sento.
you mean places you pray it'll never happen in? yeah, that would suck! I'm getting claustrophobic just thinking about it!
On June 21, 2006 10:27 PM,
Jennifer said:
I've walked to Kichijoji from Shibuya just for fun. I think it took about 2 hours if you don't count the times I stopped into shops and cafes. If you're doing the walk after the Big One, though, I say steal a bike. It'll be chaos anyway.
MissSin sounds great the walking home idea. Tokyo is such a little playground for weirdness and things to find - always something new - bussing is different to training is different to cycling is different to walking - the same route done different ways always throws up so many new and interesting things. Got me in the mood.
And Frangipani - yes, if the big one hit while I was in the sauna, naked, cooking, trapped - I can't handle the thought. I start thinking about what it was like to burned at the stake or boiled alive and then I have to leave. I need to go to the sauna tonight because I am toxic.
you know the situation that scares me most?
(and this may show something of my sad little mind...but here goes...)
my nightmare situation is that i'm in the toilet in the midst of doing a big number 2 & the big one one hits.
the thought of trying to tidy myself up, pull up my knickers & get out of a potentially collapsing building...
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